PWD and TSA

Due to recent events regarding one of my passions--accessibility for people with disabilities and airport security--I'm resuming blogging for a little while, at least.

As someone who has been concerned about this issue long before it became the topic du jour, I am glad that the public and media is finally paying some attention to the harms of airport security in the U.S. It is incredibly unfortunate, however, that it has taken such an extreme turn of events for people to finally sit up, pay attention, and start questioning a system that would deprive all of us of our civil liberties in the name of "safety."

I feel it is particularly important for me to address this, because I have previously, on this blog, made some supportive statements about the new X-ray machines. After hearing all of the horror stories of the past few months, however, from people with and without disabilities, I am rather embarrassed by this support, even if qualified and tepid. Part of this was due to a lack of information; part due to a failure to fully consider how this might affect people with disabilities which differ from my own. It is now clear that the body scanners--and the accompanying system of "enhanced pat-downs"--is terrible for people in general, and people with disabilities in particular.

I have not flown since the new system has been put in place (though I will soon). But even before pat-downs became "enhanced," I found them to be quite unpleasant at best and very upsetting at worst. I do not like people who I don't know very well touching me at all. It can be quite panic-inducing. While I have had several accessibility issues with TSA officers, the one particular incident which inspired my passion about this particular issue was a pat-down I received a little more than two years ago. This particular officer who patted me down did so in a rather rough manner and treated me in a way which I considered quite harsh and frankly rude. I was extremely upset and anxious when I was pulled over "randomly" to receive additional screening. I wanted to have the option to hold my partner's hand for comfort, but he wasn't allowed to stand within five (I think) feet of me. The TSA officer said that if I wanted him any closer, he would have to be patted down as well. Because apparently they think it's possible for me to sneak a bomb to him by holding his hand...or something. Since my partner is also autistic, I did not him to also be subjected to this treatment as well. I found the whole experience traumatizing and don't remember what happened very well, but I do think that at some point I moved towards him for comfort only to be verbally rebuked and physically (wo)man-handled by the TSA officer. Since then I've been highly wary of the pat-down procedures.

So, it was through this lens that I first considered the issue of the new body scanners. From information I'd heard from TSA administrators, I thought that the body scanners would reduce the need for physical pat-downs. Little did I know that TSA would use the new technology as an excuse to conduct more invasive pat-downs! It is obscene, especially when one considers that many people with disabilities don't have any "choice" at all. If someone is unable to stand independently for ten seconds with their arms up, or if one wears any number of medical devices or prostheses...there is no "choice." (And no, for many people, "don't fly" is not a realistic choice.) There is, additionally, reason for concern about the radiation from the body scanners, particularly for cancer survivors and people who have a genetic predisposition to cancer. It is now pretty clear that body scanners, far from being a panacea, are making things worse. And people with disabilities are being affected disproportionately.

As an autistic person, I found the "regular" pat-down procedure upsetting enough. Do I now have to worry about a stranger touching me under my shirt--or underpants--when I fly? The thought is nerve-wrecking.

At least previous regulations--however reactionary and ridiculous at times--were generally justified due to actual events. But this? These regulations are not the direct result of any particular attempt at a terrorist attack. In fact, if we stop thinking of risk only in terms of potential terrorist attacks, I think it's pretty clear that the new policies present risks of their own. What about the risk incurred by the person who is forced to remove a prosthesis, or another device, in the middle of the airport, even if doing so will be unsanitary and unsafe? What about the risk incurred by the sexual assault survivor who is forced to relive hir trauma? What about the risk incurred by the TSA officers themselves who will now be in closer contact with other people's bodily fluids? (Menstruation, anyone?)

I don't believe that TSA officers are necessarily any worse than the general population in terms of ethics, but it is an unfortunate truth that many people enjoy and abuse power. It is too easy for an officer to forget about basic human compassion when they put on that uniform. That seems to have been the case for the officer who treated me harshly during the pat-down two years ago. And I don't think she's the only one.

In order to avoid the enhanced pat-down, I am planning to opt for the scanner when I fly next month and hope that this will be enough to avoid the pat-downs, as well as any negative effects or humiliation as a result of the scanners. But then, I'm cissexual and don't have to worry about being mocked for my genitalia. I do not have a family history of cancer to worry about. I don't have a disability which prevents me from going through the scanner. And as a white woman, I'm not seen as a threat. While I do frequently get labeled as "crazy" in these kinds of stressful situations, even crazy white women aren't seen as threats in the same way as people of color are (many of whom face ableism as well).

The system is truly horrid for everyone, but some people clearly are less privileged than others. TSA policies clearly center able-bodiedness and neurotypicality and always have. I'm tired of hearing that people with disabilities are somehow "special cases," that we should just suck it up for the general good. No. This is the kind of shit which happens when our needs are seen as a mere afterthought (if that). And it needs to be loudly and vigorously opposed.

For comprehensive coverage of the failures of the new airport security system, I highly recommend Shakesville's recent archives.